Dry Shampoo for Black Girls? Yes, That's a Thing.

It’s Friday and your hair appointment isn’t until Tuesday. A whole weekend of socializing lies ahead, but the press-and-curl you got several days ago looks flat and oily. Enter dry shampoo.

I’m a curly girl who appreciates a regular blow out or press-and-curl. I heard through the grapevine that dry shampoo really does work as a refresher for black hair, too. Of course I was skeptical (Would it make my hair powdery and grey? Would it make my roots curl back up?), but decided to give it a try.

It had been four days since I last lathered up, so my pressed-out mane had started to get super oily, itchy and weighed down—all telltale signs of need-a-wash natural hair. But after blasting my roots with Evo Hair Water Killer Dry Shampoo ($25), my hair felt thicker and had more body!

Dry shampoo has been around since the 1970s but has been gaining popularity in the last few years due to the prevailing notion that women (with both curly and straight locks) should avoid washing more than a couple times a week since suds can be so drying. Starch and silica in dry shampoos simply absorb oil that has built up on strands, leaving them a unencumbered and refreshed. During my experiment, I found a few tricks to use it properly.

Hold the can at least six inches from your head: Any closer and you’ll end up with too much product on your hair and scalp.

Let the product sit for at least two minutes: A lot of women get nervous when they see that dry shampoo comes out white, so they panick and try to remove it too quickly. Spray, wait for the product to work its oil-absorbing magic, then comb through with a brush.

Spray on ends, too: This gives your hair a little extra oomph. But again, make sure you’re holding the can at least six inches away.

Call it a mid-week rejuvenator. Call it an oil-zapping miracle. Dry shampoo has this curly girl’s stamp of approval. Here are a few dry shampoos you can try:

For an itchy scalpPhillip Kingsley One More Day Shampoo ($12): This product is infused with soothing agents that calm irritated and itchy skin, while combating flakes thanks to active ingredients like Zinc PSA.

For the scent-sensitiveRene Furterer Naturia ($24): This dry shampoo has a light, airy scent and contains the peppermint and basil extracts that add an additional cleansing feel.